Device and Method of Plasma Polishing Stainless Steel Wire

ABSTRACT

A device of plasma polishing a stainless steel wire contains: at least one accommodation tank, a polished metal wire having a stainless steel substrate, a collection device, a DC controller, and a DC power generator. The collection device includes a supply segment and a rolling segment, and at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers are arranged above each accommodation tank. A first end of the connection portion is connected with the stainless steel substrate, and a second end of the connection portion is coupled with the first isolative guide section of the polished metal wire, wherein a first cleaning tank is configured to clean the polished metal wire, a second cleaning tank is configured to clean a plasma polished metal wire, and multiple electric insulation structures are respectively mounted beneath each accommodation tank, the supply segment, the rolling segment, the first cleaning tank, and the second cleaning tank.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device and method of plasma polishingstainless steel wire which move a stainless steel substrate of apolished metal wire to soak in negative-electrode polishing solution ofeach accommodation tank, thus continuously plasma polishing thestainless steel substrate of the polished metal wire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional method of plasma polishing flexible metal wire containssteps of: connecting a predetermined section of 5 m to 6 m of a polishedmetal wire with positive electrode of electric current; and soaking thepredetermined section of the polished metal wire in negative-electrodepolishing solution of each accommodation tank so as to plasma polish thepredetermined section of the polished metal wire in electric field.

However, this conventional method cannot continuously plasma polish thepolished metal wire when the polished metal wire is long.

To solve above-mentioned defects, the waves are applied to generate theelectricity currently, yet it destroys power generation facilitieseasily. Furthermore, as fixing a conventional wave power generator on aship or on a seabed, cables transmit the electricity in a long time andat limited quantity.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a deviceand method of plasma polishing stainless steel wire which move astainless steel substrate of a polished metal wire to soak innegative-electrode polishing solution of each accommodation tank, thuscontinuously plasma polishing the stainless steel substrate of thepolished metal wire.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device andmethod of plasma polishing stainless steel wire in which multipleelectric insulation structures are respectively mounted beneath bottomsof each accommodation tank, the supply segment, the rolling segment, thefirst cleaning tank, and the second cleaning tank so that when thepolished metal wire is plasma polished, each accommodation tankelectrically insulates from an exterior environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method of plasma polishing a stainless steelwire according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the application of the method ofplasma polishing the stainless steel wire according to the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another schematic view showing the application of the methodof plasma polishing the stainless steel wire according to the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method of plasma polishing a stainless steelwire according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the application of the method ofplasma polishing the stainless steel wire according to the secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another schematic view showing the application of the methodof plasma polishing the stainless steel wire according to the secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the application of the method ofplasma polishing the stainless steel wire according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 2-3, a device of plasma polishing a stainlesssteel wire according to a first embodiment of the present inventioncomprises: at least one accommodation tank 10 configured to accommodatenegative-electrode polishing solution 11, a polished metal wire 20having a stainless steel substrate 21, a collection device 30, a directcurrent (DC) controller 12, and a direct current (DC) power generator13.

Each of the at least one accommodation tank 10 is made of metalconductive material or includes metal conductive material (such ascopper material) accommodated therein, and each accommodation tank 10 isconnected with a negative electrode of electric current.

The collection device 30 includes a supply segment 31 and a rollingsegment 32 which are located outside two ends of each accommodation tank10 respectively, at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers 34arranged above the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of eachaccommodation tank 10 and electrically connected with a positiveelectrode of the electric current, and multiple transmission rollers 33arranged in each accommodation tank 10, wherein a length of a part ofthe stainless steel substrate 21 between any two adjacentpositive-electrode conductive rollers 34 depends on a resistancetolerance range of a length of a stainless steel wire between said anytwo adjacent positive-electrode conductive rollers 34, a connectionportion 23 is fixed on a front end of the stainless steel substrate 21of the polished metal wire 20, wherein a first end of the connectionportion 23 is connected with the stainless steel substrate 21, and asecond end of the connection portion 23 is coupled with the rollingsegment 32 of the collection device 30 so as to pull a first isolativeguide section 22 of the polished metal wire 20, and a distal end of thepolished metal wire 20 is joined with a second isolative guide section24 of the polished metal wire 20. In addition, a first cleaning tank 40is configured to clean the polished metal wire 20 which does not moveinto each accommodation tank 10 and is pulled by the rolling segment 32,and a second cleaning tank 50 is configured to clean a plasma polishedmetal wire 20′ which moves across each accommodation tank 10 and ispulled by the rolling segment 32. Multiple electric insulationstructures 60 are respectively mounted beneath bottoms of eachaccommodation tank 10, the supply segment 31, the rolling segment 32,the first cleaning tank 40, and the second cleaning tank 50 so that whenthe polished metal wire 20 is plasma polished, each accommodation tank10 electrically insulates from an exterior environment.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a method of plasma polishing the stainless steelwire according to a first embodiment of the present embodiment comprisessteps of:

(a1). fixing the polished metal wire 20 on the supply segment 31,wherein a first end of the first isolative guide section 22 is connectedwith the connection portion 23 of the stainless steel substrate 21, thefirst isolative guide section 22 is rolled among the multipletransmission rollers 33 and the at least two positive-electrodeconductive rollers 34, and a second end of the first isolative guidesection 22 is coupled with the rolling segment 32 of the collectiondevice 30, such that the first isolative guide section 22 is deliveredto soak in the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of anaccommodation tank 10 and to contact with the at least twopositive-electrode conductive rollers 34 by way of the multipletransmission rollers 33, thereafter a power supply is started so thatthe DC controller 12 and the DC power generator 13 transmit positive andnegative electrode currents to the accommodation tank 10 and the atleast two positive-electrode conductive rollers 34 respectively, whereinthe accommodation tank 10 is made of the metal conductive material orincludes the metal conductive material accommodated therein so that anegative electrode area produces in the negative-electrode polishingsolution 11, and a part of the first isolative guide section 22 in theaccommodation tank 10 electrically insulates from the negative-electrodepolishing solution 11, wherein when the first isolative guide section 22is continuously pulled and rolled by the rolling segment 32 to contactwith a first zone 22′ of each of the at least two positive-electrodeconductive rollers 34, it electrically insulates from the exteriorenvironment until the stainless steel substrate 21 of the polished metalwire 20 exposes;

(a2). pre-processing (i.e. ultrasonic cleaning), wherein the stainlesssteel substrate 21 of the polished metal wire 20 is pulled and rolled bythe rolling segment 32 to move into the first cleaning tank 40 so as tobe cleaned ultrasonically in the first cleaning tank 40;

(a3). plasma polishing, wherein the stainless steel substrate 21 of thepolished metal wire 20 is contentiously pulled and rolled by the rollingsegment 32 after the step (a2) so that the stainless steel substrate 21of the polished metal wire 20 moves toward the accommodation tank 10,wherein the stainless steel substrate 21 contacts with eachpositive-electrode conductive roller 34 so that each positive-electrodeconductive roller 34 conducts electricity to the polished metal wire 20and the positive electrode of the electric current produces on thestainless steel substrate 21, thereafter the stainless steel substrate21 is pulled by the rolling segment 32 to be soaked in thenegative-electrode polishing solution 11, such that the stainless steelsubstrate 21 contacts with the negative-electrode polishing solution 11to form a current loop, and the stainless steel substrate 21 is plasmapolished to reduce roughness and friction coefficient, wherein when thestainless steel substrate 21 is pulled by the rolling segment 32 to moveacross a second zone 21′ of each positive-electrode conductive roller34, it electrically insulates from the exterior environment by using oneof the multiple electric insulation structures 60;

(a4). post-processing (i.e. ultrasonic cleaning), wherein the plasmapolished metal wire 20′ after the step (a3) is pulled and rolled by therolling segment 32 to move into the second cleaning tank 50 to becleaned ultrasonically; and

(a5). rolling, wherein the collection segment 32 rolls the plasmapolished metal wire 20′ after the step (a4), and the supply segment 31supplies the polished metal wire 20 to drive the stainless steelsubstrate 21 having positive electrode to move into the accommodationtank 10, hence the polished metal wire 20 is soaked in thenegative-electrode polishing solution 11 of the accommodation tank 10,thus plasma polishing the polished metal wire 20 again.

With reference to FIGS. 4-6, a method of plasma polishing the stainlesssteel wire according to a second embodiment comprises steps of:

(b1). fixing a polished metal wire 20 on a supply segment 31, wherein afirst end of a first isolative guide section 22 is connected with aconnection portion 23 of a stainless steel substrate 21, the firstisolative guide section 22 is rolled among a transmission rollers 33 andtwo positive-electrode conductive rollers 34 of each of multipleaccommodation tanks 10, and a second end of the first isolative guidesection 22 is coupled with the rolling segment 32 of the collectiondevice 30, such that the first isolative guide section 22 is deliveredto soak in the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of eachaccommodation tank 10 and to contact with the two positive-electrodeconductive rollers 34 by way of the multiple transmission rollers 33,thereafter a power supply is started so that a DC controller 12 and a DCpower generator 13 transmit negative electrode currents to eachaccommodation tank 10 and transmit positive electrode currents to thetwo positive-electrode conductive rollers 34 respectively, wherein eachaccommodation tank 10 is made of metal conductive material or includesmetal conductive material accommodated therein so that a negativeelectrode area produces in the negative-electrode polishing solution 11,and a part of the first isolative guide section 22 in each accommodationtank 10 electrically insulates from the negative-electrode polishingsolution 11, wherein when the first isolative guide section 22 iscontinuously pulled and rolled by the rolling segment 32 to contact withone positive-electrode conductive roller 34 and to move across a firstzone 21′ between any two adjacent accommodation tanks 10, itelectrically insulates from an exterior environment until the stainlesssteel substrate 21 of the polished metal wire 20 exposes;

(b2). pre-processing (i.e. ultrasonic cleaning), wherein the stainlesssteel substrate 21 of the polished metal wire 20 is pulled and rolled bythe rolling segment 32 to move into the first cleaning tank 40 so as tobe cleaned ultrasonically in the first cleaning tank 40;

(b3). plasma polishing, wherein the stainless steel substrate 21 of thepolished metal wire 20 is contentiously pulled and rolled by the rollingsegment 32 after the step (b2) so that the stainless steel substrate 21of the polished metal wire 20 moves toward the multiple accommodationtanks 10, wherein the stainless steel substrate 21 contacts with eachpositive-electrode conductive roller 34 so that each positive-electrodeconductive roller 34 conducts electricity to the polished metal wire 20and positive electrode of electric current produces on the stainlesssteel substrate 21, thereafter the stainless steel substrate 21 ispulled by the rolling segment 32 to be soaked in the negative-electrodepolishing solution 11, such that the stainless steel substrate 21contacts with the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 to form acurrent loop, and the stainless steel substrate 21 is plasma polished toreduce roughness and friction coefficient, wherein when the stainlesssteel substrate 21 is pulled by the rolling segment 32 to move into eachaccommodation tank 10 via the second zone 21′ of each positive-electrodeconductive roller 34, it electrically insulates from the exteriorenvironment by using an electric insulation structure 60 located beloweach accommodation tank 10;

(b4). post-processing, wherein a plasma polished metal wire 20′ afterthe step (b3) is pulled and rolled by the rolling segment 32 so as tomove into a second cleaning tank 50 to be cleaned; and

(b5). rolling, wherein the rolling segment 32 rolls the plasma polishedmetal wire 20′ after the step (b4), and the rolling segment 32 suppliesthe polished metal wire 20 to drive the stainless steel substrate 21having the positive electrode to move into each accommodation tank 10,hence the polished metal wire 20 is soaked in the negative-electrodepolishing solution 11 of each accommodation tank 10 to be plasmapolished.

Accordingly, the first isolative guide section 22 is delivered to soakin the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of each accommodationtank 10 and to contact with the at least two positive-electrodeconductive rollers 34, thus maintaining electric insulation.

Preferably, the multiple electric insulation structures 60 arerespectively fixed beneath the bottoms of each accommodation tank 10,the supply segment 31, the rolling segment 32, the first cleaning tank40, and the second cleaning tank 50 so that when the polished metal wire20 is plasma polished, it is electrically insulated from the exteriorenvironment.

In addition, the length of the part of the stainless steel substrate 21between any two adjacent positive-electrode conductive rollers 34depends on a resistance of the polished metal wire 20.

The polished metal wire 20 is pulled by the rolling segment 32 of thecollection device 30 and is delivered by the multiple transmissionrollers 33 so that the stainless steel substrate 21 of the polishedmetal wire 20 is moved into each accommodation tank 10 via the at leasttwo positive-electrode conductive rollers 34 so as to soak in thenegative-electrode polishing solution 11, thus finishing the plasmapolishing. Thereafter, the rolling segment 32 of the collection device30 rolls the plasma polished metal wire 20′ so that the stainless steelsubstrate 21 of the polished metal wire 20 moves into each accommodationtank 10 to be plasma polished in the negative-electrode polishingsolution 11 via the at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers34.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, in a third embodiment, each of multipleaccommodation tanks 10 does not include multiple transmission rollers33, i.e., at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers 34 arearranged above a negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of eachaccommodation tank 10, wherein a first isolative guide section 22 isdelivered by the at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers 34and is soaked in the negative-electrode polishing solution 11 of eachaccommodation tank 10 so that the first isolative guide section 22electrically insulates from the negative-electrode polishing solution 11after conducting electricity. Thereafter, a rolling segment 32 of acollection device 30 pulls the polished metal wire 20 until thestainless steel substrate 21 of the polished metal wire 20 exposes andcontacts with the at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers 34,such that the stainless steel substrate 21 is plasma polished in thenegative-electrode polishing solution 11.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth forthe purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments ofthe invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to thoseskilled in the art. The scope of the claims should not be limited by thepreferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given thebroadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device of plasma polishing a stainless steelwire comprising: at least one accommodation tank configured toaccommodate negative-electrode polishing solution, a polished metal wirehaving a stainless steel substrate, a collection device, a directcurrent (DC) controller, and a direct current (DC) power generator;wherein the collection device includes a supply segment and a rollingsegment which are located outside two ends of each of the at least oneaccommodation tank respectively, at least two positive-electrodeconductive rollers are arranged above the negative-electrode polishingsolution of each accommodation tank and electrically connected with apositive electrode of an electric current, and each accommodation tankis connected with a negative electrode of the electric current, whereina length of a part of the stainless steel substrate between any twoadjacent positive-electrode conductive rollers depends on a resistancetolerance range of a length of a stainless steel wire between said anytwo adjacent positive-electrode conductive rollers, the polished metalwire is connected with a first isolative guide section coupling with therolling segment, wherein a first cleaning tank is configured to cleanthe polished metal wire which does not move into each accommodation tankand is pulled by the rolling segment, and a second cleaning tank isconfigured to clean a plasma polished metal wire which moves across eachaccommodation tank and is pulled by the rolling segment, and multipleelectric insulation structures are respectively mounted beneath bottomsof each accommodation tank, the supply segment, the rolling segment, thefirst cleaning tank, and the second cleaning tank.
 2. A method of plasmapolishing the stainless steel wire using the device of claim 1comprising steps of: (a1). fixing the polished metal wire on the supplysegment, wherein a first end of the first isolative guide section isconnected with the connection portion of the stainless steel substrate,the first isolative guide section is rolled among multiple transmissionrollers and the at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers, andthe second end of the first isolative guide section is coupled with therolling segment of the collection device, such that the first isolativeguide section is delivered to soak in the negative-electrode polishingsolution of each accommodation tank and to contact with the at least twopositive-electrode conductive rollers by way of the multipletransmission rollers, thereafter a power supply is started so that theDC controller and the DC power generator transmit positive and negativeelectrode currents to each accommodation tank and the at least twopositive-electrode conductive rollers respectively, wherein eachaccommodation tank is made of metal conductive material or includesmetal conductive material accommodated therein so that a negativeelectrode area produces in the negative-electrode polishing solution,and a part of the first isolative guide section in each accommodationtank electrically insulates from the negative-electrode polishingsolution, wherein when the first isolative guide section is continuouslypulled and rolled by the rolling segment to contact with a first zone ofeach of the at least two positive-electrode conductive rollers, itelectrically insulates from an exterior environment until the stainlesssteel substrate of the polished metal wire exposes; (a2).pre-processing, wherein the stainless steel substrate of the polishedmetal wire is pulled and rolled by the rolling segment to move into thefirst cleaning tank so as to be cleaned in the first cleaning tank;(a3). plasma polishing, wherein the stainless steel substrate of thepolished metal wire is contentiously pulled and rolled by the rollingsegment after the step (a2) so that the stainless steel substrate of thepolished metal wire moves toward each accommodation tank, wherein thestainless steel substrate contacts with each positive-electrodeconductive roller so that each positive-electrode conductive rollerconducts electricity to the polished metal wire and the positiveelectrode of the electric current produces on the stainless steelsubstrate, thereafter the stainless steel substrate is pulled by therolling segment to be soaked in the negative-electrode polishingsolution, such that the stainless steel substrate contacts with thenegative-electrode polishing solution to form a current loop, and thestainless steel substrate is plasma polished to reduce roughness andfriction coefficient, wherein when the stainless steel substrate ispulled by the rolling segment to move across a second zone of eachpositive-electrode conductive roller, it electrically insulates from theexterior environment by using one of the multiple electric insulationstructures; (a4). post-processing, wherein the plasma polished metalwire after the step (a3) is pulled and rolled by the rolling segment tomove into the second cleaning tank to be cleaned; and (a5). rolling,wherein the collection segment rolls the plasma polished metal wireafter the step (a4), and the supply segment supplies the polished metalwire to drive the stainless steel substrate having positive electrode tomove into each accommodation tank, hence the polished metal wire issoaked in the negative-electrode polishing solution of eachaccommodation tank, thus plasma polishing the polished metal wire again.3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein multiple transmissionrollers are arranged in each accommodation tank.
 4. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each of the at least one accommodation tankis made of metal conductive material or includes metal conductivematerial accommodated therein, and the metal conductive material iscopper material.
 5. The wave power generator as claimed in claim 1,wherein a connection portion of the stainless steel substrate is fixedon a front end of the stainless steel substrate of the polished metalwire, a first end of the connection portion is connected with thestainless steel substrate, and a second end of the connection portion iscoupled with a first isolative guide section of the polished metal wire.6. The wave power generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distal endof the polished metal wire is joined with a second isolative guidesection of the polished metal wire.